Death of judge who led probe into Whiddy disaster

THE former President of the High Court Declan Costello, who led the investigation into the Whiddy Island disaster, has died in Dublin.

Mr Costello, the son of former Taoiseach John Costello, died after a long illness.

Born in 1926, Mr Costello was a Fine Gael TD best known for his Building a Just Society document, which at the time was seen as highly forward thinking.

He was Attorney General from 1973-1977.

He then became a High Court judge and served as President from 1995-1998.

Mr Justice Costello lead the investigation into the Whiddy Island disaster which claimed the lives of 51 people after the oil tanker Betelgeuse caught fire and exploded on January 8, 1979.

In 1992, his judgement preventing a girl from leaving Ireland for an abortion brought the issue to centre stage for the first time after the right to life on the unborn was inserted into the constitution.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny described Mr Costello as an “intellectual powerhouse”.

“He had a huge commitment to the legal system and excelled in the roles of Attorney General, High Court judge and President of the High Court,” Mr Kenny said. ”

Former Taoiseach John Bruton described Mr Costello as “eloquent and persuasive, without ever being demagogic.

“The Just Society policy document of 1964, with which his name will always be associated, was far more than an inspiring slogan. It was, in fact, the first of its kind in Irish politics up to that time, a very detailed policy programme produced by a party in opposition, objectively analysing society’s ills, and then prescribing detailed remedies.”